The T-85s were assigned to the new defense fleet of the Republic whose commander was Poe Dameron before he was recruited by the resistance. When the First Order destroyed the Hosnian System with the Starkiller base (34 ABY), all the T-85 squadrons of the Republic were destroyed.

The T-85 is named for the first time in the novel Before the Awakening in 2015, written by Greg Rucka. It is also mentioned in the augmented Star Wars edition : The Last Jedi. The T-85 appears in Star Wars Resistance - "The Recruit.", a two part episode of the animated series Star Wars Resistance.